Thousands of racegoers braved four seasons in one day as they flocked to Flemington for the third day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Crown Oaks Ladies Day attendees refused to let an afternoon downpour dampen their high spirits as the party continued long into the day.
While the morning started sunny, the skies quickly darkened as the Bureau of Meteorology warning of a possible thunderstorm.
Nevertheless, revellers made the most of their day out with many donning purple in honour of The Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
Attendees of the Crown Oaks Ladies Day ducked for cover as the heavens opened
All smiles! Thousands of revellers made the most of Oaks day, despite the miserable weather
The grassy venue slowly turning to mud didn’t stop racegoers from partying hard
Who needs an umbrella? Several attendees got creative once the rain started pouring
Cheese! Attendees were all smiles in spite of the unfortunate weather
Revellers who remembered to bring an umbrella were grateful as showers moved across Flemington on Thursday afternoon
While an umbrella is usually racegoers cover of choice, some attendees used whatever they could find to protect their outfits
Revellers refused to let the rain put a damper on festivities
The Crown Oaks Day is traditionally known for its pink dress code.
But this year the pink rose was replaced by the purple rose as the event’s official flower.
Plenty of attendees paid homage to tradition though with many choosing to accentuate their carefully crafted outfits with pink details.
However, by far the most popular accessory was an umbrella or poncho.
Those caught short in the rain were spotted running for cover or using anything nearby – from jackets to picnic blankets – to protect themselves from getting wet.
The rain caught some racegoers off-guard with many forced to use picnic blankets as a cover
Ladies wore their best fashion with the winners of the Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field competition announced on Thursday
Many revellers ran for cover after the rain started – leaving only the most dedicated fans to brave the weather
The rain was far from everyone’s cup of tea, fortunately the drizzle eased as the afternoon progressed
Plenty of attendees paid homage to Oaks Day’s traditional colour – pink!
Well-prepared race attendees brought umbrellas and raincoats
Michelle Payne and 2024 Caulfield Cup winning jockey Harry Coffey led a Guard of Honour in Flemington’s Mounting Yard following race five with the Crown Resorts Foundation donating $500 for every jockey who participated.
Treasurethe Moment won the Group One 2,500m race and became the 39th filly to complete the Wakeful Stakes/Crown Oaks double.
‘It is 20 years of work really trying to achieve something like this,’ trainer Matt Laurie said.
‘I’m just so grateful to my team at home and to Team Yulong. They have supported me, this is a home–bred, and to watch her progress to win a Group 1 is incredible.’
Thousands of revellers on Thursday refused to let the rain spoil their fun
Pretty in pink: Many Oaks Day attendees wore pink in honour of the day’s long-standing tradition
Racegoers crowded under umbrellas once the showers hit Flemington on Thursday
The long day was a bit much for some revellers with many opting to kick off their heels and soak up the sun
Glamorous racing fans braved the rain for the Crown Oaks Day at Flemington on Thursday
Crowds had fun at the Crown Oaks Day, the third day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival
There was also plenty of action off the track with the winners of the Best Dressed and Best Suited categories of the Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field competition announced.
Special guests Elizabeth Hurley, her son Damian Hurley and ARIA award-winning singer Samantha Jade were on the judge panel with a record breaking prize pool of over $370,000 up for grabs.
The Best Dressed and Best Suited categories each had over $111,000 in prizes, with overall winners receiving $20,000 in cash alongside prizes from Penfolds, Schweppes, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, TAB and TCL Electronics.
Revellers will have the chance to head to Flemington again on Saturday for the TAB Champions Stakes Day, concluding the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Racing fans returning to Flemington on Saturday for the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival will hopefully be better prepared for the weather
Crown Oaks Day attendees were all smiles despite the poor weather
Soaking up the sun: Attendees basked in the morning sunshine while it lasted
Floral fashions were hidden under raincoats as racegoers did their best to stay dry
Winners are grinners! Dancing revellers weren’t worried about the grass turning to mud on Thursday
Prepared attendees were able to enjoy the races trackside while others were forced to hide from the rain undercover
Flemington’s undercover areas quickly became crowded as revellers escaped the rain
